How to Overcome Barriers and Achieve Mental Health of Nursing Home Residents inthe United States: Background of Problem and Issue. Abstract, Executive Summary and Final Report of Conference. Held in 1993

摘要

Thanks to funding from the Agency for Health Care Policy Research Grant No.R13HS07696-01 (S1,S2), the Helen Bader Foundation, and several federal and private organizations, more than 130 mental health and aging experts gathered at a 1993 conference, exchanged knowledge on how to enhance the mental health of nursing home residents, and set the stage for further development of strategies for quality improvement. Key mental health issues and points of consensus were identified, research findings were shared, and public policy/research agendas and recommendations were developed. The resulting policy brief reflects conference results and integration of the literature. It was mailed to over 5000 key people, and published in peer-reviewed journals. Summaries appeared in over 20 other publications. Conferees recommended additional funding for research, staff training, and consumer education initiatives to increase access to mental health services to nursing home residents. They also called for improved Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and for federal and private payments for all mental health services to be comparable to payment ratios for other health services. The brief emphasizes low-cost ways of improving the mental health of residents such as tilting facilities' in-service training budgets toward mental health topics, or utilizing mental health specialists in education/liaison capacities.